Serum + moisturizer + SPF = bobbling Grr!!

[Notonaschoolnight]

People who appear to know what they're talking about say that these things are necessary but bloody hell trying to get the combo right no chance ie Olay regenerist serum + la Roche posay Anthelios SPF = bobbling but Vichy Aqualia serum with same SPF is ok but then I tried my Vichy serum then Emma Hardie moisturizer then Anthelios and got bobbling again.
I'm buggered if I'm buying anything new without knowing it'll work ok, do any of you have a combo that works? Or do any of you understand what causes the bobbling and what ingredients I should avoid that make it happen

I use NO 7 pp serum and Olay regenerist moisturiser, which has SPF 30. I don't experience bobbling.....I don't think, but then I'm not 100% sure what it is

If you're ok with the Vichy combo, then can't you just keep using that?

Sorry, but what's bobbling?

Bobbling is when bits of skin seem to roll off onto your fingers as you put your product on.

I asked about this recently when my Elemis marine cream + Neals Yard Frankincense Intense serum started doing it, drove me potty.

Someone told me it was to do with the silicones in the product. Reluctant to ditch a fecking expensive set of stuff, I sort of resolved it by leaving a long while between serum and cream application. But won't buy either again tbh, I love NY creams/oils but the intense serum was very tightening. Marine Cream- well meh. I've had it before and loved the smell, but it's a very light lotion IMO, and my skin just needs more.

I am using NY Frankincense oil and Boots Lift and Luminate serum at the mo, and not having bobbling!

do you mean you roll off btw of stuff when you rub it in? Like skin coloured "bobbles", like with a jumper, but only from rubbing your skin?

It is the silicone you are rubbing off.

Lots of cosmetics contain silicon, it is harmless, it puts a thin layer of "plastic" (well, silicon) over your skin giving you the sensation your skin is smoother.

If you use 3 products, you get silicon overload and start rubbing off bits of it.

Silicon is labeled as "dimethicone" or "cyclomethicone" on ingredients list.

Some brands, like REN are silicon free.

Is this what you mean? I avoid it, because I always seem to "rub it off"!

cross post! yes, elemis marine cream has a lot of silicone in it.

It is why I avoid it.

Every "miracle product" seems to have silicone. It makes your skin amazingly smooth. Only it is not really smooth, it is just a layer of silicon/

All the pore minimisers are almost 100% silicon.

I don't get on with silicon (due to bobbling), so have become obsessed with reading labels.

Maybe use less of the actual products? How much do you use?
Also, you might not need to use serum during the day- maybe at night only? or some serums are quite gloopy anyway and a moisturiser might not be necessary.

I sometimes use serum, moisturiser, clinique city block then foundation. But I only use a tiny amount of the first two.

City Block is 'sheer' and I find the spf 40 doesn't blob as much as the spf 25 for some reason.

Thank you for explaining bobbling for me! I had a feeling it was silicones, the olay regenerist serum felt full of cones. I couldn't see them on the Emma Hardie ingredients but I'll have another look I tried the Hardie and the Anthelios on the back of my hand and they definitely bobble together so I had a look at the moisturizer samples I accumulate i ignored the marine cream but I had a sample pot of Estee lauder resilience lift so tried that on hand with Anthelios and they work fine yay!!

Ren silicone free is good to know thank you

had always wondered what that was. have tried many times to move away from clinique foundation but every one I used had that bobbling effect . I will check the labels now. I have to use clinique moisturiser with it too. Off to google silicon free products

I don't think you need to avoid silicones altogether, just use them carefully. I avoid them in moisturiser and SPF but use a primer (Bourjois Happy Light) that has silicones to smooth my skin then I lightly apply my foundation over the top (which does also contain silicones) - Bourjois Healthy Mix serum. I think a moisturiser that you have to massage into your face shouldn't contain silicones, only cosmetic stuff that you want to smooth your skin.

Do you exfoliate?

Yes, I can use a silicon free moisturiser, for example, then a suncream/bb cream with it in.

Just not 2 or 3 products that contain it.

Bobbling / pilling usually happens when you layer stuff that has an oily vs watery base. I think silicones align with watery but this should not happen if you choose products that have the first basic ingredient (aqua?). I think this happened to me with Anthelios and this is why stopped using it. It is definitely quite heavy and greasy.

OP to stop the bobbling you need to be v careful how you put it all on - basically v gently and no rubbing.

This morning Vichy aqualia serum EL resilience lift moisturizer and Anthelios xl the thin one for combo skin worked fine

In future I think the key to buying a new step is to take current steps and try all together on hand

Or even better if sali Hughes or Caroline hirons can read this and help out with specific items that work ok together that would be great
Don't suppose any of you happen to know either of them!!

I think you just need to stop using so much- of each product and so many as well.

Almost all serums will have silicones as that is what makes them slippy and makes skin feel soft.

You get bobbling with product overload. Reduce the quantity - or just use serum at bedtime.